Police and FBI investigate uploads made with shoe camera

After an investigation lasting several weeks, Oak Park police arrested a 61-year-old man who allegedly filmed up women's skirts at an outdoor festival with a micro-camera attached to his shoe. Police observed Christopher Meyer of the 1100 block of Erie acting suspiciously during the Thursday Night Out celebration in downtown Oak Park the evening of June 20.

"The officers had seen the suspect acting suspiciously around female citizens previously," said Oak Park Commander LaDon Reynolds. Reynolds said police had requested a search warrant of Meyer's residence from the Assistant State's Attorney.

After an investigative stop, officers discovered a mini-camera with USB port disguised as a pen attached to Meyer's shoe. They arrested Meyer in the 1100 block of Westgate around 6 p.m. and executed a search warrant of his residence. According to Reynolds, police found evidence of other videoing instances and a computer showing evidence of videos uploaded to "an adult website."

"We've sent the recovered evidence to be processed by the FBI regional forensics computer laboratory," Reynolds said. He said the investigation is ongoing. Meyer was charged with unauthorized video recording.

According to Illinois statute, it is unlawful for any person to knowingly make a video record or transmit live video of another person under or through their clothing worn for the purpose of viewing the body or undergarments without consent.

In 2003, when Meyer was coach of the Illinois Institute of Technology women's volleyball team, he was arrested at the North Riverside Mall after a security guard allegedly saw him trying to video a woman with a camera hidden in a bag.

He was arrested in 2004 in Oak Park for allegedly making unauthorized videos of women, and was arrested again in 2005 and charged with disorderly conduct for allegedly looking down women's shirts in a public place in Oak Park.

The charge for the June 20 arrest is a misdemeanor that carries a maximum sentence of one year in prison or a fine up to $2,500. For past charges, Meyer has paid a fine and underwent court supervision.

Meyer appeared at the Maybrook Courthouse July 1 where Judge Ann Collins denied a Cook County State's Attorney's motion to increase Meyer's bond from $5,000. He was issued a status hearing date of Aug. 5.

He has been committing this exact crime over and over again for at least ten years, only now he is sharing images he has stolen of his neighbors (maybe even you!) with other perverts on the internet. You don't think he's gotten any treatment after his many arrests? If that treatment was so effective, why has his family left him in jail, rather than posting a $500 bond? Enjoy your kitten.

Neighbor from Oak Park

Posted: July 31st, 2013 11:39 PM

This man helped me adopt a kitten at the ACL. He was professional, very helpful, and kind to me and the animals. This is a sad situation, but the harsh judgemental comments show how little most people understand about sexual addictions-that can be treated. I hope Mr. Meyers seeks help. I do not condone this behavior, but we are all human, not perfect,with many different sides to us.

Bobbi from Chicago

Posted: July 31st, 2013 7:20 PM

Considering this man used to be my volleyball coach I find this extremely alarming. He was always a bit odd, but never did I think he was capable of this. Truly messed up and so is he. He doesn't belong in jail, but I think he belongs in a pysch ward.

pow

Posted: July 11th, 2013 3:47 PM

To the person that said they worked with him. I did too and I always knew something was off about him.... doesnt this make you wonder where else he hid cameras?

JFGI

Posted: July 10th, 2013 9:08 AM

I see that the reporter finally updated this article with the information I posted from the Oak Leaves/SunTimes report. That's great, but I don't get why the WJ continues to throw the word "alleged" everywhere. He was caught with a camera and pled guilty in several incidents. This is irresponsible reporting intended to protect the victimizer.

JFGI

Posted: July 10th, 2013 8:59 AM

Apparently he made bail, and continues to harass women. From the tribune: " A woman who was shopping at 9:10 a.m. June 26 at Whole Foods Market, 7245 Lake St., said she was followed by a man she recognized from news articles as a man arrested in Oak Park for unlawfully videotaping women." Can someone please explain why a serial offender such a Mr. Meyer is not on the sex offender registry???

Matt Cordtwist from Island Dweller

Posted: June 29th, 2013 5:51 PM

And of course he isn't a registerd sex offender. Small bond amount too considering repeater. Seemed so silly when early commentator stated that he was married 10yrs and has a daughter. So did the btk killer. i'm not saying he's that bad, but lousy defense. And then said that he loved animals? We know for fact that Hitler was very kind to his dog!! Of course, Jeffrey Dahmer showed interest in animals?? This being was also a women's volleyball coach @ IIT? Perhaps he was at least not a litterbug!

JFGI

Posted: June 29th, 2013 11:06 AM

And why DIDN'T the reporter mention his many other arrests in this article? Does the reporter really think his history of videotaping women and posting on the internet is not relevant? If the reporter is friends with this repeat offender, they should not be reporting on it.

JFGI

Posted: June 29th, 2013 11:03 AM

This man is disgusting. His repeat offenses extend way beyond the one arrest. See the much better Sun-Times story here http://oakpark.suntimes.com/news/20971507-418/man-accused-of-unlawful-videotaping-of-women.html which has actual detail about the many other arrests. And those are only the times he was caught!! I can't believe with his record, the maximum time he will serve is 364 days. They should strengthen the law against creeps who post photos and videos forever to the internet. Gross.

YALL_CRACK_ME_UP

Posted: June 27th, 2013 11:00 AM

HAHHAHA @Long Time, Jackie did say they worked together for years so believe me he has some footage of her already. and who cares if he was nice to the animals look at what he did. It's not funny but can you imagine dancing and laughing and you look down and it looks like you have 3 feet, That's crazy!!!

Long time Oak Parker from Oak Oark

Posted: June 26th, 2013 6:29 PM

Well, Jackie Pledger-Skwerski, if he is such a good man, let him look up your skirt.

JFGI

Posted: June 26th, 2013 2:56 PM

Thanks WJ for reversing your decision to disable comments on this article. Women in our community have been victimized by this repeat offender, and their photos will forever be circulated among the contemptible creeper community. I trust the FBI will investigate fully, and I hope the WJ will follow up so this doesn't get swept under the rug again.

Matt Nordquist from Islander Facebook Verified

Posted: June 26th, 2013 10:06 AM

Interesting early comments said how he cared for animals. It is well known that Hitler was kind to his dog. This person committed the same crime 10 yrs. ago as one commenter showed link stating this.

Done from Oak Park

Posted: June 26th, 2013 9:44 AM

So Jackie, if that was you immortalized on the Internet on an adult website, would you be OK with that? I'm guessing not.

JFGI

Posted: June 25th, 2013 11:40 PM

If by "advance" you mean, stealing illegal images of women's bodies and posting them permanently to be be ogled and shared with the creepershot community, then yes, we've advanced. Oh, I get it now, you made a Catholic joke trivializing "bad boys" behavior. Ha ha ha ha funny.

Roger Conner from oak Park

Posted: June 25th, 2013 11:19 PM

A technological advance over patent leather shoes?

JFGI

Posted: June 25th, 2013 10:59 PM

I also note that these kinds of stories (men committing sex crimes) tend to get posted right before the weekly news dump, so stories that might embarrass one of our friends get buried and no one ever sees it. He was arrested on the 20th, and the WJ waits until the evening of the 25th to post?

Google

Posted: June 25th, 2013 10:26 PM

...men busted for child porn over the past few years? The wednesday journal sweeps these stories under the rug because why? Because we should forgive men who GET CAUGHT committing sex crimes? Because we went to high school with them and they volunteer at the church? I think Oak Park could stand a bit more shaming for these kinds of crimes, to be honest.

Google

Posted: June 25th, 2013 10:24 PM

If taking videos of women (and girls?) and posting on the internet is not the very definition of creep, then what the hell is? There is far too much "forgiving" in this community and newspaper for sex crimes committed by our neighbors. Where's the followup to Bruce Dumont's life partner, who went to prison for trying to have sex with a toddler? Or the OP cop who got caught with child porn and commited suicide? Or the pediatrician who traded illegal scripts for sex? Or any of the dozen or so...

Brian Slowiak from Oak park

Posted: June 25th, 2013 10:23 PM

I hope he was kind to the animals.

OP local

Posted: June 25th, 2013 10:16 PM

I don't pity a man who sought the technology to equip his shoe with a camera in order to video up women's dresses and then post it forever and always on the Internet. That is called violation, video rape, perversion, and sexual predation. It does not fall under the umbrella of illness. That's sweet though... He is kind to animals.

jackie pledger-Skwerski from Oak Park

Posted: June 25th, 2013 9:49 PM

He's no creep. I've worked with him for several years at ACL as an off-site adoption volunteer. He's wonderful with animals, raised a wonderful son with a great wife. Ir anything, he's ill. Pity him, don't chide him.

OP local

Posted: June 25th, 2013 8:58 PM

Looks an awful like the guy working for the Animal Care League of oak park.... Too bad, a creep working for a good cause. How many times have I brought my wife and 3 year old by this guy, I can't count it's been so often. Again, creep!

Google

Posted: June 25th, 2013 7:40 PM

Hey Wednesday Journal, why not mention he's been busted for this before? http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2003-08-19/news/0308190289_1_videotaping-iit-shopper Way to protect the hometown creeps.

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